1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer gaming accessories. More specifically, the invention relates to an ergonomically designed computer gaming device in the form of a shooter's mitt or shooter's glove.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer games continue to become more and more sophisticated as time goes on. As these computer games become more sophisticated, so must the devices that run and control these computer games. Many of these evolved devices are reflected in the related art.
U.S. patent application Publication No. 2001/0003713 published on Jun. 14, 2001, outlines the use of a hand held gaming and data entry system with an ergonomic housing that includes thumb operated controls which generate a first set of electrical signals, and finger operated controls which generate a second set of electrical signals when operated independently. U.S. patent application Publication No. 2003/0030625 published on Feb. 13, 2003, outlines the use of a data entry device especially designed for computers that has two joysticks or control handles that are equipped with keys so that they combine the functions of a keyboard and a mouse. The main keys contain the alphabet. Using special shift keys that are operated by thumb, their assignment is switched to numbers, special characters, text cursor functions or control functions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,798 issued to Hamling on Jul. 15, 1997, outlines the use of a device that functions as either a mouse, a trackball or combination of both and allows the user to achieve a neutral operating position. This positioning, preferred by occupational therapists, forms the basis of the numerous ergonomic advantages of the invention. The invention permits neutral positioning by providing a formed hand support pad on top of a lower housing on which the side of the user's hand rests.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,831,597 issued to West et al. on Nov. 3, 1998, outlines the use of a computer device that is used in conjunction with a mouse input device. The computer input device of the invention has a body having a resilient layer covered by a surface layer textured throughout the entirety of the surface for operation of the mouse. A printed circuit card is incorporated in the body between the resilient layer and the upper surface layer and includes a plurality of capacitive touch sensor pads.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,307 issued to Bouton on Nov. 17, 1998, outlines the use of a reconfigurable video game and simulator system that includes a personal computer, a video display, a keyboard, and one or more game controllers including a throttle controller. The keyboard is coupled to the throttle controller as are the other game controllers. The throttle controller is coupled to the computer through a keyboard interface port.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,125 issued to Niedzwiecki on Apr. 20, 1999, outlines the use of an adapter which is coupled to a keyboard and one or multiple video game control devices, including widely available directional game pads and joysticks designed for other video game platforms. The adapter is in turn coupled to the keyboard port of a personal computer. During the function mode, button presses or other input decision actions observed at the video game controller result in a key scan code being sent to the personal computer's keyboard port based on a user-defined association list.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,554 issued to Tyler on May 30, 2000, outlines the use of a hand manipulated dual controller assembly for use with action video games. It has a base with a trackball type controller mounted in one recess in the top surface of the base and a joystick type controller mounted in another recess in the top surface of the base. By using the joystick controller, the player can separately move the action video game character in any desired direction and by using the trackball controller, allow the character to look with his eyes in any desired direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,516 issued to Rice on Jun. 13, 2000, outlines the use of a palm rest for use with a computer data entry device such as a computer keyboard, that minimizes alleviated posture and stress-related disorders associated with the use of computer devices. The palm rest includes a hand-support section that is substantially rectangular-shaped to allow the fingers of a user to readily access the computer keyboard, a base, and a curvilinear section that couples the hand-support section to the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,575 issued to Oktay on Jul. 4, 2000, outlines the use of a computer device having an oblong shape following the general outline of a human hand with a finger portion, a palm portion and a thumb portion. The finger portion accommodates three levers, which are operated by contact from the user's fingers. The palm portion fits the palm of a right or left hand comfortably and has a trackball judiciously placed so as to fit the cup of the hand ergonomically.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,869 issued to Harding et al. on Feb. 6, 2001, outlines the use of a computer input device having multiple multi-directional detection devices that can be simultaneously operated by a user to provide multi-dimensional input to a computer. The multi-directional detection devices are arranged on an input device housing to facilitate simultaneous operation by one hand of an operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,526 issued to Holmes on Apr. 24, 2001, outlines the use of a hand-held ergonomic computer controller that includes a housing having a lower extent taking the form of a grip and an upper extent with a cross-sectional area greater than that of the lower extent. At least one button is mounted on the housing. Also included is either a trackball or a joystick mounted on the upper extent of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,715 issued to Sawyer on Jul. 17, 2001, outlines the use of an improved ergonomic computer mouse that provides comfortable and efficient usage by maintaining the hand of a user at a large acute angle to the horizontal. This is accomplished by a device that includes a base having an upstanding pedestal structure about which the palm and hands of the user extends in a more natural handshake manner at a large acute angle to the horizontal where the user's wrist remains straight while grasping the mouse.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,245 issued to Park on Apr. 23, 2002, outlines the use of an ultra ergonomic computer mouse that includes an angled grip-rod which, when held and placed in the correct manner, supports and influences all of the fingers and the hand to be in a naturally curved position. It also includes a contoured and grooved rubber foundation, which is shaped in such a way that the hand holding this mouse is put in a natural position and is greatly supported.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,805 issued to Reid et al. on Aug. 27, 2002, outlines the use of a manually movable computer mouse with a mouse movement sensing system for providing mouse movement signals and at least one user finger operable control switch, for providing control signals for a graphic user interface, the mouse having a boomerang-shaped body ergonomically shaped to fit and support the user's hand in a naturally relaxed curled hand position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,948 issued to Lau on Dec. 3, 2002, outlines the use of a mouse that provides multiple cursor control input devices. A first input device is a tracking ball. The second input device may be another tracking ball, a finger pad, or a joystick, among other input devices. The second input device provides a secondary control of cursor movement that is combined with the input of the first input device to provide full cursor control.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,667 issued to Lilenfield on Apr. 8, 2003, outlines the use of a cursor control device to be used in conjunction with a computer, receiver or other processing unit that allows for convenient and comfortable use while being hand-held or while resting on a desktop. The cursor control device has a body with a shape for fitting in a user's hand so the user can operate the cursor control device in hand-held or desktop uses.
W.I.P.O. Patent Publication Number WO 02/01589 granted to Brookfield et al. on Jan. 3, 2002, outlines the use of a user-input device for use with all game simulations that require separate controls for movement and viewing or control over the orientation of the user within the game simulation. The user-input device has two controller units that plug into input ports of the computer or game port of a gaming system. The left hand controller enables a user to walk in 8 directions, while the right hand controller enables a player to look in any angle of horizontal direction while looking up and down in the vertical direction.
Although each of these patents and publications outline novel and useful devices, what is really needed is an ergonomically designed computer gaming device that is custom designed for a person's hand and can be utilized by touch only (without the user looking at the device). Such a device would be in great demand in the marketplace, particularly for more sophisticated games.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus an ergonomically designed computer gaming device solving the aforementioned problems is desired.